Dead Man's Planet

Samachson, Joseph, 1906-1980Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 25K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Dead Man's Planet by Joseph SamachsonAuthor: Samachson, Joseph, 1906-1980,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Dec 27, 2009

Editor's review

Dead Man's Planet is a short science fiction story in English by Joseph Samachson, made available as a free electronic edition by Project Gutenberg. A product of the mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazine era, it is concise in length and direct in premise, carrying the adventure and suspense typical of science fiction of that period. Its value lies not in grand scale but in giving readers low-cost access to the narrative rhythm and imaginative approach of early science fiction; it works well as an introductory sample of the English-language short story or as supplementary reading in the history of the genre. Readers should not expect elaborate world-building; it is better enjoyed as a short imaginative trip—read in fragments during a commute, a lunch break, or before bed, and experience the clean, brisk pacing of old-school science fiction. The free electronic edition also makes it convenient for language learners to compare against the English original.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Science fiction fans who want short English readings for reading practice
Readers interested in mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazine works
Commuters who need a story they can finish easily in fragments of time
People who want free public-domain ebooks and want to learn about Project Gutenberg

Not a good fit for

Hard science fiction readers who prefer long-form world-building and deep settings
Readers sensitive to the narrative style and period limitations of early science fiction
Beginners in English who need a Chinese translation or bilingual reading

Reading tips

Read through the English original once to grasp the plot, then revisit key passages to look up unfamiliar words.
Treat it as a short story; reading it in one sitting makes the suspense and pacing easier to appreciate.
After reading, look up the background of American science fiction magazines of the same period to better understand the context.
If using it for English study, excerpt descriptive sentences for imitation writing practice.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a short story?

Judging from the Project Gutenberg listing and its length, it is a short science fiction work, suitable for reading in one or two sittings and not a long reading commitment.

Is the electronic edition free?

Yes. The book is published by Project Gutenberg as part of its free ebook project, and the English original electronic edition is available on its platform.

Can I read it if my English is average?

As an early science fiction short story, the language is relatively direct, but it still contains period vocabulary and expressions. Readers with basic English reading ability can finish it with a dictionary; beginners are advised to read a Chinese summary first before attempting the original.

Comments

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About the author

Samachson, Joseph, 1906-1980 Author

Joseph Samachson (1906–1980) is an author about whom little biographical information is publicly available, yet whose works show considerable variety in subject matter. The library holds 13 of his works, including Picture Bride, A Feast of Demons, The Weather on Mercury, Unwelcomed Visitor, Bedside Manner, The Hunters, Runaway, and Dead Man's Planet. Judging from these titles, his writing ranges across science fiction and fantasy, alien environments, strange visitors, and suspenseful human situations, often advancing the narrative through vividly imagined premises and combining imagination with the appeal of popular storytelling. Because public sources are limited, his nationality, full life story, and the concrete course of his writing career remain unknown; the existing entry relies chiefly on the titles and thematic features of these works to present his profile as a writer, offering readers a reference point when approaching his work.